======= Date Modified 19 Aug 2008 00:06:48 =======
Buy the one that's the quickest, and possibly pay a little more for something super quick and future proof. I got so fed-up with my laptop and Dell PC running at snail's pace last week (both are only 12-24 mths old), that I purchased a new computer out of irritation.

I found the best buys on ebuyer, dabs and laptopsdirect. A few companies are also running cash-back offers at the moment.


Check out the new Dell business laptop (I think it's called Vostro), and you don't get all the crappy unwanted software.

The edit function hasn't been working for me either on IE 7.

Well I'm aiming to write 10k in rough draft this week. Then that's my final word-count of 100k hit. Unfortunately, I have a number of chapters that are complete rubbish, unoriginal etc. etc. so I may as well only have 50k written. Alas I have no time to re-write due to my deadline looooooming.

Well done on gaining a place!

I don't really have many tips apart from to treat your PhD like a 'real' job.

As for Liverpool, it a very nice at the moment (since the European Commission and private sector has spent a huge amount of money on it). Stay away from Toxteth (a nasty area located right next to the university).

Ya know..I've never understood that sitting on the loo and reading thing....maybe it's a male-only habit.

I've read about a few well-known writers who can only write in old wooden sheds at the bottom of their gardens, or in pokey little rooms that are furnished with nothing but an uncomfortable chair and desk.

STAR

(....as in I want one)

It's not all that hard to achieve a PhD place at most top universities (particularly in humanities and soc. sciences). The hard bit is achieving a funded place. Oxbridge is, of course, always tough. However, most other top uni's, inc. Warwick and UoL are normally not that difficult to achieve places at (requiring a First/high 2.1, or 2.1 plus Masters at Distinction or Merit).

It's likely your friend's research proposal is not good enough. It's surprising how many people do not put enough effort into their proposal.

Excuse duplicated post - editing 'save' button doesn't seem to be working.

Hi Aodhán,

First, having a second external examiner is not uncommon. While it's not the norm, it does happen frequently, and it normally occurs when there are aspects of the thesis that the first external does not feel the know enough about to examine you on. Thus, a third examiner crops up a lot when a thesis is interdisciplinary or very complex. You're not having the bar raised because you have more than two examiners, and there is absolutely no reason why you should feel ashamed of this. Since you are obviously upset about this issue, you should email your supervisor and ask him why a second external has been appointed, and what aspect of your work requires another external.

Second, are you at a UK university? Because the unusual element of your circumstances (at least in my experience) is the fact your supervisor is an examiner. Normally, a supervisor cannot examine the student, and at the most, may only sit in on the viva (but keep quiet). In fact, most people will not have their supervisor present as it removes the appearance that the student is an 'independent researcher' and actually makes the student feel more uncomfortable.

Finally, with respect to your illness, the disclosure of this may have been necessary to ensure you got your extension. It is quite possible the supervisor was only acting in your best interests. Also, if you have submitted evidence of your illness on previously occasions, then this would be in your personal file, and they would be privy to this anyway. However, if you have told your supervisor to keep such issue quiet and confidential, well then he has breached your confidentiality.

My only advice to you, would be to ask supervisor why you have a 3rd examiner, and which parts of your thesis is this necessary for. If you word an email diplomatically, I can't see any reason why this would upset your supervisor.

Hi Aodhán,

First, having a second external examiner is not uncommon. While it's not the norm, it does happen frequently, and it normally occurs when there are aspects of the thesis that the first external does not feel the know enough about to examine you on. Thus, a third examiner crops up a lot when a thesis is interdisciplinary or very complex. You're not having the bar raised because you have more than two examiners, and there is absolutely no reason why you should feel ashamed of this. Since you are obviously upset about this issue, you should email your supervisor and ask him why a second external has been appointed, and what aspect of your work requires another external.

Second, are you at a UK university? Because the unusual element of your circumstances (at least in my experience) is the fact your supervisor is an examiner. Normally, a supervisor cannot examine the student, and at the most, may only sit in on the viva (but keep quiet). In fact, most people will not have their supervisor present as it removes the appearance that the student is an 'independent researcher' and actually makes the student feel more uncomfortable.

Finally, with respect to your illness, the disclosure of this may have been necessary to ensure you got your extension. It is quite possible the supervisor was only acting in your best interests. Also, if you have submitted evidence of your illness on previously occasions, then this would be in your personal file, and they would be privy to this anyway. However, if you have told your supervisor to keep such issue quiet and confidential, well then he has breached your confidentiality.

My only advice to you, would be to ask supervisor why you have a 3rd examiner, and which parts of your thesis is this necessary for. If you word an email diplomatically, I can't see any reason why this would upset your supervisor.

The editing function isn't working for me :-(

Yep, this is different for every thesis, so it's impossible to give a generalised answer.

I have not concerned myself with the length of bibliography as it's not within my word count, but I imagine it is something like 7,000 words.

My appendices are fairly short, something like 5,000 words. Whether the examiners shall bother reading the appendices is another matter!

Here's the link to Professor Randy Pausch's lectures:

http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~robins/Randy/

The one concerning time management is No.4.

He also became very famous in America for his 'Last Lecture' listed at No.5. Warning: watching this may almost convince you to become an academic.

The context of his lectures is very sad and poignant...but you learn all about that in his lectures.

Hey Lara, glad you liked the lecture. I personally found it very inspirational. I urge everyone on here to watch it.

The powerpoint slides to go with the lecture are somewhere on Pausch's faculty webpage, which includes some acknowledgements to time management books.

The first thing I did after watching the lecture was to clean my email inboxes. I had nothing filed, just thousands of emails in the inbox. :$

I also took on his rule about creating a deadline..even if it's not a real deadline, have a deadline...a person can't plan without a deadline.





Good to know your supervisor meeting went well!


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